Summer heat: be careful! These drinks endanger your kidney health!

Summer heat: be careful! These drinks endanger your kidney health!

With the warm summer days that await us again, the appetite for refreshing drinks is also increasing. But be careful: As recent studies have shown, certain summer drinks can do more harm than good, especially for our kidneys. While we want to cool off outdoors, we should also take good care of our health.

Even in hot weather, the human body loses around 1.5 liters of water every day, although this value increases dramatically on particularly hot days. This is a clear indication to adjust our fluid intake, as adequate hydration is crucial for a functioning cardiovascular system and kidney function. According to the findings of Dr. Simone Cosima Boedecker-Lips, 50 to 90 percent of patients with heat shock suffer from acute kidney damage. These alarming figures should make us vigilant.

Focus on sugar and sweeteners

A comprehensive study of South Korean universities such as Yonsei and the Kwandong Catholic University has found that the consumption of sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks in particular has a negative impact on kidney health. Researchers analyzed data from over 127,000 adults and found that consuming more than 250 milliliters of these drinks daily significantly increased the risk of chronic kidney disease.

Anyone who thinks that the “light” versions are a healthier choice is wrong: even consuming less than one glass of artificially sweetened drinks per day increases the risk minimally. Surprisingly, the study results also indicated that there is no increased risk of kidney disease with more than 250 milliliters of natural juices. However, this shouldn't stop us from swapping sweet drinks for healthy alternatives such as water or freshly squeezed juices. This is how you can support your kidney health - both for yourself and for the environment.

What should we drink instead?

The consumer advice center recommends a daily fluid requirement of around 1.5 to 2 liters, although on hot days it can even increase to 3 to 4 liters. Here is a small list of healthy thirst quenchers that are particularly useful in summer:

• Leitungswasser
• Mineralwasser
• Kräuter- oder Früchtetee
• Schwarz- und Grüntee
• Erfrischungsgetränke aus selbstgepressten Säften mit Wasser
• Obstsaftschorle (1 Teil Saft, 3-4 Teile Wasser)
• Wasser mit einem Schuss Sirup aus Rhabarber, Holunderblüten oder Beerenfrüchten

We can also increase our fluid intake by eating water-rich foods such as melons, cucumbers, tomatoes or strawberries. And don't forget: Active athletes should also drink small amounts regularly during exercise and can add a pinch of salt to the water to compensate for the loss of salt.

Ultimately, it's up to us how we get through the hot summer days - making conscious decisions when choosing our drinks can make a big difference. Quenching our thirst with the right liquids on hot days is not only a question of well-being, but also an important measure for our health.